MICHIGAN STATE GIVES UIC BLUES

It was supposed to be ''Get The Red Out'' night Friday at the Illinois-Chicago Pavilion, where Flames` hockey fans were encouraged to wear red to the Michigan State game.

Instead, Michigan State put the Flames out. The Spartans, who have won the last four Central Collegiate Hockey Association playoff titles, earned a 6-4 victory over pesky UIC.

Michigan State, which also won the CCHA regular-season title last year, raised its record to 9-3-1 in the league. UIC, which lost its fourth straight, dropped to 5-8 in the CCHA, 5-10 overall.

Third-period goals by UIC winger Mike Rucinski of Wheeling and center Jeff Nelson of Naperville closed the gap to 6-4, but it wasn`t enough. The teams play again Saturday night at the Pavilion.

''We thought we`d be in the area we are,'' UIC coach Val Belmonte said before the game. ''Playing about .500 hockey (in the CCHA) isn`t bad right now. I thought we could have taken two more games, but we have to be satisfied. We`re not getting blown out.''

The Flames could have been closing in on the CCHA leaders with a few key goals earlier in the season. They had overtime losses to Lake Superior and Miami of Ohio, plus a one-goal defeat against Ferris State.

UIC was losing only 3-2 after the first period Friday, but Michigan State`s Bruce Rendall and Jeff Parker scored the only goals in the second period. Parker had fallen in the slot when he scored his short-handed goal.

The Spartans took a commanding 6-2 lead when freshman sensation Joe Murphy, a 6-foot-1-inch, 175-pound center from Vancouver, scored with 16 minutes 55 seconds remaining. Murphy entered the game as Michigan State`s leading scorer with 13 goals and 7 assists.

Rick Tosto and Mike Donnelly had put the Spartans ahead 2-0 in the first period before UIC`s Paul Tory scored off a perfect pass from Scott Seaver. Danton Cole gave Michigan State its second two-goal lead, but Rucinski made it 3-2 on a power play with 39 seconds left in the period.

Friday night`s crowd of 2,584 was UIC`s largest turnout of the season at home.

Belmonte started junior goalie Jim Hickey for only the fifth time this season. Hickey was in the nets last season when UIC upset Michigan State 7-4 in East Lansing, ending the Spartans` 22-game winning streak.